Stephanie and Alyssa
EDC 102H Context Report
Community Description
Welcome to Pawtucket, Rhode Island!
Population: Pawtucket has a relatively high population of Spanish-speakers or non-English speakers, which translates to a relatively high population of ESL students within the school district. In Pawtucket, 25.9% of the population (5+) has disabilities. This is slightly higher than that of Rhode Island’s disabled population of 20.2%. (ProvPlan, 2010) Similarly, the population in Pawtucket that speaks Spanish inside the home is slightly higher than that of Rhode Island’s (15.1% and 10.3%, respectively). However, the population in Pawtucket that speaks English not well or not at all (8.7%) is almost double that of Rhode Island’s (4.8%), which is very significant. Also, in Pawtucket, 61.9% of the population speaks only English in the home. This is significantly lower than the English speaking population of Rhode Island (79.2%). (ProvPlan, 2010) These statistics give us a better understanding of the language barrier challenges faced within the school systems in Pawtucket as a reflection of the city’s population.
Poverty: It is a fact that poverty is often concentrated in cities. Indeed, Pawtucket is a reflection of that. Between 2007 and 2011, almost two-thirds (65%) of Rhode Island's children living in poverty lived in just four cities. These cities, termed core cities, include Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence and Woonsocket, all communities where more than one in four (25%) children live below the poverty threshold. In Pawtucket, 29.4% live in poverty, which is significantly higher than the poverty percentage of Rhode Island (17.9%). Fortunately, the percentage of people living in extreme poverty in Pawtucket is only slightly higher than that of Rhode Island (11.5% and 8.1%, respectively). However, the percentage of children under 6 that are living in poverty in Pawtucket (33.2%) is significantly higher than that of Rhode Island (20.6%). In 2012, the percentage of children in families receiving cash assistance was about the same as the state percentage (5% and 6%, respectively). There was a higher percentage of those who are eligible enrolled in WIC in Pawtucket than in Rhode Island (73% and 69%, respectively). However, there was a lower percentage of low-income children participating in school breakfast in Pawtucket (24%) than in Rhode Island (35%). In Pawtucket, 4% of infants are born at the highest risk. This runs true to the 3% of the highest risk infants born in Rhode Island. In Pawtucket, the median family income ($38,471) is almost half that of the median family income of Rhode Island ($68,507). In fact, Pawtucket has the third lowest median family income in the state of Rhode Island. (RI Kids Count, 2011) These are extremely telling statistics. It is clear that Pawtucket is a poverty-stricken city.
Living Situation: Although there are high poverty levels in Pawtucket, the living situations are relatively stable. In Pawtucket, 43% of children are living in single-family homes, which is significantly higher than the 35% of Rhode Island. Similarly to the state (6%), 7% of children in Pawtucket are living with grandparents. The cost of rent in Pawtucket ($1,026) is about the same as that of Rhode Island ($1,176). (RI Kids Count, 2012) These numbers show stability. In the 2011-2012 school year, 32 out of the 8,769 children enrolled in public schools were homeless. In 2010, out of the 16,575 children who were under 8 years old in Pawtucket, 70 of them were sheltered homeless, meaning they lived in homeless or domestic violence shelters. Of the 961 homeless children in the state of Rhode Island in the 2011-2012 school year, one third of them (315 children) were in the four core cities. Of the 1,277 sheltered homeless children in 2010, more than half (727 children) were in the four core cities. These two statistics give us a better idea of the type of challenges a city like Pawtucket faces. (RI Kids Count, 2012)
Health: In Pawtucket, births to mothers with less than a High School diploma from 2007-2011 was 20%, compared to 16% for the state. The percentage of women with delayed prenatal care was 17.7%, while the state was at 15%. The teen birth rate in Pawtucket (per 1,000 girls ages 15-19) was 49.2, nearly double the rate for the state, 25.5. This means that females are becoming mothers at younger age, probably before they've graduated from High School, and prenatal care for women in Pawtucket isn't as readily accessible as prenatal care for women in the rest of the state. (“Profile of Pawtucket, RI,” n.d.)
The percent of infants in Pawtucket born with a low birthweight was 8.6% from 2007-2011, which is higher than the percent for the state during that time period, 7.9%. The infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births was 7.3, compared to 6.5 for the state. Also, the percent of infants exclusively breastfed in Pawtucket is 53%, which is less than the percent for the state, 61%. (“Profile of Pawtucket, RI,” n.d.)
The asthma hospitalization rate per 1,000 children under age 18 is 2.6 for Pawtucket and 2.2 for Rhode Island. "Black and Hispanic children, as well as children of "other" ethnicities in Rhode Island, are more likely to have ever been diagnosed with asthma in their lifetime, compared to non-Hispanic White children" (“Children with Asthma,” n.d.). This may factor into why Pawtucket's asthma hospitalization rate is higher than the state's because much of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
Safety: As of 2012, 9,913 children under the age of 19 in Pawtucket were receiving medical assistance, which is about 1/10 of Rhode Island's 95,248 children under the age of 19 receiving medical assistance. The number of children abused and neglected (per 1,000 children) in 2012 was 21.2 in Pawtucket and 13.9 in the state. The percent of domestic violence incidents with children present was 29% for both Pawtucket and the state of Rhode Island. The rate of children with incarcerated parents (per 1,000 children) was 15.3 and 11.0 in Pawtucket and Rhode Island, respectively. (“Profile of Pawtucket, RI,” n.d.)
EDC 102H Context Report
Community Description
Welcome to Pawtucket, Rhode Island!
Population:
Pawtucket has a relatively high population of Spanish-speakers or non-English speakers, which translates to a relatively high population of ESL students within the school district. In Pawtucket, 25.9% of the population (5+) has disabilities. This is slightly higher than that of Rhode Island’s disabled population of 20.2%. (ProvPlan, 2010) Similarly, the population in Pawtucket that speaks Spanish inside the home is slightly higher than that of Rhode Island’s (15.1% and 10.3%, respectively). However, the population in Pawtucket that speaks English not well or not at all (8.7%) is almost double that of Rhode Island’s (4.8%), which is very significant. Also, in Pawtucket, 61.9% of the population speaks only English in the home. This is significantly lower than the English speaking population of Rhode Island (79.2%). (ProvPlan, 2010) These statistics give us a better understanding of the language barrier challenges faced within the school systems in Pawtucket as a reflection of the city’s population.
Poverty:
It is a fact that poverty is often concentrated in cities. Indeed, Pawtucket is a reflection of that. Between 2007 and 2011, almost two-thirds (65%) of Rhode Island's children living in poverty lived in just four cities. These cities, termed core cities, include Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence and Woonsocket, all communities where more than one in four (25%) children live below the poverty threshold. In Pawtucket, 29.4% live in poverty, which is significantly higher than the poverty percentage of Rhode Island (17.9%). Fortunately, the percentage of people living in extreme poverty in Pawtucket is only slightly higher than that of Rhode Island (11.5% and 8.1%, respectively). However, the percentage of children under 6 that are living in poverty in Pawtucket (33.2%) is significantly higher than that of Rhode Island (20.6%). In 2012, the percentage of children in families receiving cash assistance was about the same as the state percentage (5% and 6%, respectively). There was a higher percentage of those who are eligible enrolled in WIC in Pawtucket than in Rhode Island (73% and 69%, respectively). However, there was a lower percentage of low-income children participating in school breakfast in Pawtucket (24%) than in Rhode Island (35%). In Pawtucket, 4% of infants are born at the highest risk. This runs true to the 3% of the highest risk infants born in Rhode Island. In Pawtucket, the median family income ($38,471) is almost half that of the median family income of Rhode Island ($68,507). In fact, Pawtucket has the third lowest median family income in the state of Rhode Island. (RI Kids Count, 2011) These are extremely telling statistics. It is clear that Pawtucket is a poverty-stricken city.
Living Situation:
Although there are high poverty levels in Pawtucket, the living situations are relatively stable. In Pawtucket, 43% of children are living in single-family homes, which is significantly higher than the 35% of Rhode Island. Similarly to the state (6%), 7% of children in Pawtucket are living with grandparents. The cost of rent in Pawtucket ($1,026) is about the same as that of Rhode Island ($1,176). (RI Kids Count, 2012) These numbers show stability. In the 2011-2012 school year, 32 out of the 8,769 children enrolled in public schools were homeless. In 2010, out of the 16,575 children who were under 8 years old in Pawtucket, 70 of them were sheltered homeless, meaning they lived in homeless or domestic violence shelters. Of the 961 homeless children in the state of Rhode Island in the 2011-2012 school year, one third of them (315 children) were in the four core cities. Of the 1,277 sheltered homeless children in 2010, more than half (727 children) were in the four core cities. These two statistics give us a better idea of the type of challenges a city like Pawtucket faces. (RI Kids Count, 2012)
Health:
In Pawtucket, births to mothers with less than a High School diploma from 2007-2011 was 20%, compared to 16% for the state. The percentage of women with delayed prenatal care was 17.7%, while the state was at 15%. The teen birth rate in Pawtucket (per 1,000 girls ages 15-19) was 49.2, nearly double the rate for the state, 25.5. This means that females are becoming mothers at younger age, probably before they've graduated from High School, and prenatal care for women in Pawtucket isn't as readily accessible as prenatal care for women in the rest of the state. (“Profile of Pawtucket, RI,” n.d.)
The percent of infants in Pawtucket born with a low birthweight was 8.6% from 2007-2011, which is higher than the percent for the state during that time period, 7.9%. The infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births was 7.3, compared to 6.5 for the state. Also, the percent of infants exclusively breastfed in Pawtucket is 53%, which is less than the percent for the state, 61%. (“Profile of Pawtucket, RI,” n.d.)
The asthma hospitalization rate per 1,000 children under age 18 is 2.6 for Pawtucket and 2.2 for Rhode Island. "Black and Hispanic children, as well as children of "other" ethnicities in Rhode Island, are more likely to have ever been diagnosed with asthma in their lifetime, compared to non-Hispanic White children" (“Children with Asthma,” n.d.). This may factor into why Pawtucket's asthma hospitalization rate is higher than the state's because much of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
Safety:
As of 2012, 9,913 children under the age of 19 in Pawtucket were receiving medical assistance, which is about 1/10 of Rhode Island's 95,248 children under the age of 19 receiving medical assistance. The number of children abused and neglected (per 1,000 children) in 2012 was 21.2 in Pawtucket and 13.9 in the state. The percent of domestic violence incidents with children present was 29% for both Pawtucket and the state of Rhode Island. The rate of children with incarcerated parents (per 1,000 children) was 15.3 and 11.0 in Pawtucket and Rhode Island, respectively. (“Profile of Pawtucket, RI,” n.d.)
References:
ProvPlan. (n.d.-a). Pawtucket Profile: Disabilities. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from http://profiles.provplan.org/profiles/municipality/pawtucket/disabilities/
ProvPlan. (n.d.-b). Pawtucket Profile: Language. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from http://profiles.provplan.org/profiles/municipality/pawtucket/language/
ProvPlan. (n.d.-c). Rhode Island Profile: Disabilities. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from http://profiles.provplan.org/profiles/state/rhode-island/disabilities/
ProvPlan. (n.d.-d). Rhode Island Profile: Language. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from http://profiles.provplan.org/profiles/state/rhode-island/language/
RI Kids Count. (n.d.-a). Pawtucket Profile: Economic Well-Being. Retrieved from http://www.rikidscount.org/matriarch/documents/Economic%202013%20Factbook%20NEW.pdf
RI Kids Count. (n.d.-b). Pawtucket Profile: Indicators of Child Well-Being. Retrieved from http://www.rikidscount.org/matriarch/documents/Pawtucket_2013.pdf
Children with Asthma. (n.d.). Rhode Island Kids Count. Retrieved October 17, 2013, from http://rikidscount.org/matriarch/documents/13_Factbook_Indicator_29.pdf
Rhode Island Kids Count 2013 Factbook Indicators of Child Well-Being Profile of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. (n.d.). Rhode Island Kids Count. Retrieved October 17, 2013, fromhttp://rikidscount.org/matriarch/documents/Pawtucket_2013.pdf